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Cheney Elementary School
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149 Adams Street
Coalinga, CA 93210
Phone: (559) 935-7515
Fax: (559) 935-2950
Principal : Judy Horn (Email)
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School Vision and Mission Statement
We will make the welfare of our students our foremost priority. We will work
with parents, staff members, and the community in the best interest of our
students. We will provide guidance and leadership to support our students in
the development of problem solving, decision making, and self-discipline. We
will help them build a sense of respect and support for each other as they
become literate, thinking, increasingly independent persons with a love for
learning and habits of mind that support lifelong learning.
The School As Community
- The school community is a purposeful place. Staff, students, and parents
all have a shared vision and clearly defined goals, which are energetically
pursued. Separate classrooms are connected with a shared vision.
- The school community is a communicative place. Regular collaboration among
all stakeholders is an integral part of the District's success. This collaboration
helps build support for the school. Teachers work in teams with ample time
and resources allocated.
- The school community is a just place. Respect and fair play are shown regardless
of age, gender, or race; regardless of social, economic, ethnic, or religious
background; and regardless of intelligence, language, or other special needs.
The diversity of the student population and staff is viewed as enriching
the learning experience.
- The school community is a disciplined place. Reasonable rules are sensitively
established, thoughtfully explained, and fairly enforced.
- The school community is a caring place. A climate of caring and support
is actively built between staff and students, between students, and between
grades. The ability of children to learn is affected by social, health, and
economic conditions, and other factors outside the classroom. Because of
this the school needs to specifically address these issues.
- The school is a celebrative place. Families celebrates, nations celebrate,
and the school must occasionally celebrate as well.
- The students are encouraged to become disciplined, creative, and self-motivated
learners. The school views each one as capable of learning and succeeding.
Each needs a high quality education that challenges the student to his/her
fullest potential.
- Parents/guardians have a right and an obligation to participate in their
child's schooling. They are viewed as the child's first and most important
teachers, and encouraged to be active partners.
- The public community provides essential resources to the educational program.
It is viewed as an active, not passive, participant.
- The school staff has a direct and extremely powerful influence on the student's'
lives and learning. Teachers are viewed as leaders, with the principal and/or
superintendent as the lead teacher.
- A high level of communication, trust, respect, and teamwork among board
members contributes to the effective leadership and decision-making and is
strongly encouraged.
- The entire educational community shares accountability for the District's
programs and operations, with the ultimate accountability resting with the
Board.
A Curriculum With Coherence
- In the curriculum, centrality of language is primary. Language is broadly
defined as the language of words, of numbers, and of the arts. All children
are expected to become proficient in the written and spoken word, in mathematics,
and in the arts, as well as the interconnections among the three. Literacy
of language is the first and most essential goal.
- In the curriculum, the core commonalities integrate the traditional subjects,
helping students see connections across the disciplines and relate what they
learn to life. The core commonalities are eight universal experiences shared
by all people. They are: the use of symbols, membership in groups, a sense
of time and space, the life cycle, response to the aesthetic, connections
to nature, producing and consuming, and living with purpose.
- Results of the curriculum are regularly measured; using clearly defined
standards and benchmarks, and sharply focused observations. Over time information
regarding student products and performances is gathered from a variety of
sources for documentary purposes. High academic standards are established
in both language achievement and general knowledge. Teachers evaluate the
personal and social qualities of students informally.
A Climate for Learning
- A safe, nurturing environment is necessary for learning.
- Early identification of student learning and behavior difficulties contributes
to student success.
- Staff and students alike respond positively to high expectations and recognition
for their accomplishments.
- Patterns are to fit purpose. Class size is kept small, the teaching schedule
is flexible, and within the classroom the student grouping arrangements vary
to promote learning. Grouping patterns also extend outward between classes
and age groups, and beyond the school itself to include parents and grandparents.
- Resources are to enrich. The District makes available a bounty of varied
resources for learning, from crayons and construction paper to a wide range
of electronic technology. Books are everywhere; reading is celebrated. The
public community is creatively utilized as a “neighborhood of learning.”
- Support services for children are available, based on the District's perception
and its ability to provide. It is committed to serving the whole child. Beyond
a solid academic program, the school may offer basic health and counseling
services and afternoon and summer enrichment programs for students.
- To continue providing academic excellence in a changing society, the school
will be required to perform regularly scheduled self evaluations. Results
will be measured using clearly defined standards and benchmarks, and sharply
focused observations.
A Commitment to Character
- The future of our nation depends on students possessing the skills to
be lifelong learners and effective, contributing members of society. The
District believes this does not occur without children internalizing positive
ethical and moral values. Historically schools have always partnered with
the family and other cultural institutions to actively promote this internalization
process….[K]knowledge unguided by an ethical compass is potentially more
dangerous than ignorance itself…What grows up, of course, is information
without knowledge, knowledge without wisdom, competence without conscience.
(Boyer, The Basic School , pg.
176)
- There exists a core of consensus virtues on which practically everyone
might agree. The school has chosen seven core virtues to actively promote
in the school. They are: honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion, perseverance,
self-discipline, and giving.
- To enable them to live with purpose, the students are taught the core
virtues by both instruction and example, but not necessarily as a separate
course on character education. Through the curriculum, through school climate,
and through service, students are encouraged to apply the lessons of the
classroom to the world around them.
School Profile/Context
This school has served the district since the 1940's. Three years ago the
classrooms and office were modernized. Bathrooms were modified, lighting was
upgraded, and modern air conditioning/heating systems were installed.
Our staff includes one administrator who is shared with Bishop Elementary,
8 regular classroom teachers, 4 classroom instructional aides and an office
manager who is also the attendance clerk. The school also has a part-time health
aide, district cafeteria personnel, and part-time speech and language services
from the district. The school has 1 afternoon custodian, the services of district
employed bus drivers, and (as needed) the assistance of a school psychologist.
We currently have eight kindergartens, four in the morning and four in the
afternoon. Parents may request classroom placement in the spring upon registration
for kindergarten. All teachers are fully credentialed and certified to teach
English Language Learners.
Parent involvement and participation are an important element of our plan
for student success. Many of our parents have made the commitment to volunteer
in the classroom to assist teachers in addressing student academic needs. In
addition, the Parent Teacher Organization has contributed to our school by
providing support for school programs, allotting money to each classroom teacher
for their use, and organizing the Winter Program decorations as well as the
annual Play Day at the end of the school year.
Annual Program Evaluation Process
In order to evaluate our program, Cheney Kindergarten will conduct the following
activities on an annual basis:
- Administer and analyze district criterion reference tests in math, reading
and writing on a quarterly basis.
- Administer and carry out appropriate instruction for students based on
the California English Language Development Test.
- Review and discuss the annual surveys of students, staff, and parents.
- Review Fall to Fall growth on the CELDT.
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